The following press release from the Virginia Senate Democratic caucus once again starkly illuminates the extreme, anti-women agenda of Virginia Republicans. Pathetic.
Republican Senators Successfully Defend Their
Overreaching Social Agenda
Senate Republicans defeat Democrats’ attempt to overturn Virginia’s forced ultrasound law and Governor McDonnell’s abortion clinic regulations
RICHMOND, VA — On a straight party-line vote in the Senate Education and Health Committee, Republican Senators defeated two attempts by Democratic Senators to roll back the Republicans’ extreme, divisive social agenda.
Legislation introduced by Senator Ralph Northam (D-Norfolk) and Senator Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) that would have overturned the mandatory ultrasound law passed last year was defeated 8 to 7.
Dr. Northam, a practicing pediatric neurologist and the only doctor in the Senate, said, “Last year Virginia legislators, mostly men, passed a law that forced a medical procedure on women. Only women and their doctors should make that decision. Richmond legislators with no background in medicine should not make those decisions.”
Prior to the vote on SB 1082, Senator Favola said, “The role of the Commonwealth should be to protect a woman’s right to privacy — not to trample it.”
Senator Mark Herring (D-Loudoun) introduced two bills, SB 1115 and SB 1116 introduced legislation to overturn Governor McDonnell’s onerous and unnecessary abortion clinic regulations, which may force some women’s health clinics to close.
Senator Herring said, “These clinics provide critical low-cost reproductive health care, and losing one of them because of these unnecessary regulations may cost thousands of women access to health care. The legislature was wrong in helping pass these last year, and it’s wrong keeping them this year.”
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
